Lorain demolition to begin on West 2nd Street

Workers use a torch to cut and remove large sections of the high voltage tower in the Lorain City Hall parking lot Wednesday in Lorain. The parking lot tower is one of more than a dozen being removed from Lorain’s riverfront.

LORAIN — Crews are expected to take down the electrical towers along West 2nd Street as early as today.
Independence Excavating will use cranes and lift trucks for workers to cut and lower pieces of the four electric transmission towers.
The original plan was to work from east to west, starting at the tower at the intersection of West 2nd Street and Washington Avenue and proceeding to Oberlin Avenue.
However, that could change because the company will coordinate their efforts with the contractors rebuilding Washington Avenue, said Denver Wolf of Independence Excavating. On Wednesday, crews began laying down the new asphalt street surface on Washington Avenue.
It will take about two days to remove each tower, Wolf said in a letter that went out late last month to West 2nd Street residents.
A mobile truck crane will be used to dismantle and lower the tower in sections, Wolf said. The concrete bases also will be removed below grade once the structure is down.
If any areas are disturbed, they will be patched to match surrounding grade with either topsoil or concrete, Wolf said. Grass will be planted in areas where topsoil goes.
West 2nd Street likely will have temporary street closures for short times, Wolf said. He also asked residents to avoid parking on the street as the crews are at work.
Part of the parking lot of Lorain City Hall also was roped off Wednesday as workers removed the tower there.